JC Muyonjo Talks ‘Afrosphere’, his New Album and So Much More

In his song titled Moyo Wangu, J.C Muyonjo, real name Jessy Canary Muyonjo, starts by asking you to spare a little bit of your time to give him your eyes. If you decide to, which I highly believe you will do, then you’ll spend the next many minutes in a new space, one created by the Ugandan singer, songwriter and guitarist. If you didn’t know JC Muyonjo, count yourself lucky, because he’s a real gem, and his album aptly titled ‘Afrosphere’ is the beauty from him that never stops giving.

For Man Crush Monday this week, Muyonjo had a chat with Satisfashion UG, where he opened up all things Atmosphere and so much more.

Who is JC Muyonjo?

JC Muyonjo is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and Music Producer from Kampala, Uganda.

My passion for music began at an early age, initially as a singer early while I was part of different Church groups, and later I learned to play the guitar to complement my writing and composition.  I gravitated towards music production after realizing the need to fully conceptualize my ideas.

Why music? 

Music chose me really and I followed along, it’s always been an important aspect in my life. I am in my element when creating melodies, the best way I know how to express myself and it’s just natural. So inversely, the question would be “why not music?” for me.

What was your experience creating Afrosphere?

Afrosphere was a challenge taken on after my previous release. Te experience was one of growth because of new demands which required working outside my comfort zones stretching from curating, composing, producing, writing to project managing. There were some moments that scaled from  excitement to pure frustration. 

I thought of this project in late 2018 and began while I was working on my previous E.P. Afro is from “being Afro centric” & Sphere from “Atmosphere”.  I took elements from Afro pop & beats rhythms currently influencing the soundscape which I fused with genres which I first fell in love with, mainly being RnB and HipHop.

You collaborated with a diverse group of artistes with each song getting a unique flavour. From Lamu to So Severe and the surprise for me, Ebrahim. How did you choose each of your collaborators?

Yes it was a diverse group in terms of style and languages. I chose people I have a good working personal relationship with and knew would easily bond with me. I knew they all could deliver and as a producer, that makes my work easier. I observe the music scene very keenly and I don’t let things pass me by, so I had every artiste on my radar for a while before I approached them.

There’s some love on the album. I enjoyed Moyo Wangu & Kankusubize. How much of your own experiences in love and relationships influenced these songs?

Haha, yes..love, the strongest dopamine inducer. Well, I have been in both experiences before where “Moyo Wangu” is the start of the journey while “Kankusubize” is where you affirm your commitment to it. However, the sublime message is that the whole album is my journey as a Ugandan artiste and my commitment to music (my love). The interludes tie that in well because they eventually give context once I explain that part. 

Embabazi Zawe has an interesting storyline and lyrics. Tell me more about what this song is about. 

Embabazi Zawe is about stopping in your tracks, reflecting and counting your blessings and this song really ministers to me given how much grace Jesus Christ has had over me during this pandemic and period. I don’t take things for granted or think they are a given. Once you realize you prayed to be where you are right now, you can’t help but be thankful. I like what Wake did with it because all I did was give him a beat with no context. I wrote my chorus based on what he had done which made me appreciate the whole collaborative process more.  

In Olugendo you share briefly your life story; in there you talk about making a number of sacrifices as you search for critical acclaim. What’s the story behind this song? 

For Olugendo, I had to be more personal. Being the type of Artist I am, in an environment like Uganda, life will test you. This will demand sacrifices for lack of a better word. From the onset, I rejected the predictable path placed in front of me which might have been more comfortable however,  it would mean denying my true self and showing lack of faith ultimately. So relationships, time, finances, certain different career opportunities have all been viewed through those lenses. 

However, even above that, the invariable factors are my faith in Jesus Christ and the love for my family. I have made sure not to compromise those two, even when I might stray; they remain my peace and focus. I have no regrets and certain I made the right choice.

Let’s talk about Akalango. This could be my favourite song on the album. You let Ebrahim lead you through the song. What was your experience creating this song. 

For Akalango, all I did was give Ebrahim the title and told him, “Introduce yourself, be your own hype man and let them know”. It is part of the narrative after Kankusubize because now, the Industry and the World get to hear you, because you have put in the work and can’t wait to always be introduced by others. We created the song remotely and he recorded and sent me the vocal files. I also think I tapped into a certain energy from him because it was perfect timing since he was just heading into a singing competition and was in that headspace. 

Katitira is like an ode to your roots, I believe, and the only song on the album featuring no one else but just you. What’s the story behind this one? 

Katitira is a folk song I have loved since I was a child. I remember my Grandmother singing it to me and always loved it when cultural troops danced to it. The idea to remake it came to me during my Uncle’s Introduction Ceremony while I watched cultural performers. I knew I had to push the legacy of the beautiful Tooro and Nyoro song forward which also explains why I added the interlude from the original record done in the 1950s which gives it the best Introduction.

I’m wondering what your favourite song on the album is. I could guess, but why  should I when you’re here? 

Haha, I have no favorites, it depends on my mood. However, each song is special honestly, because they all stand for something different. 

You have such a unique sound. How have you managed to refine  it into your own? 

Thank you. I used to listen to a lot of music, which taught me to get the best from everywhere. I don’t think I have even achieved the sound I want to achieve yet but it’s a journey and I will find it along the way. 

Who are your influences and why? 

I have several influences and creating a sequence will help explain how they had an impact. My very first inspiration was Michael Jackson because he was an all round entertainer, you just couldn’t take your eyes off him. I used to dance and call myself M.J. 

Then I got introduced to the world of Hiphop by my Uncle who was young then. I used to listen to Tupac, B.I.G, LL Cool J, DMX and ruined some of my Dad’s cassette tapes because I rapped and recorded over them trying to imitate these guys. 

Then Usher happened and I was totally blown away, that’s when I began to sing a little. Neo-soul was also really at the forefront of black American music then with artistes like Lauryn Hill, Maxwell, Eryka Badu and Musiq Soulchild, while at the same time I was also listening to my late Dad’s ballad Album collections. 

I think that’s when i learned to formulate my own lyrics, one particular artiste that was on heavy rotation was Dolly Parton. I had memorized a whole album of hers because the albums came with lyric books and i was so fascinated by these well written and simple Country songs . 

Then I watched Maurice Kirya in my S.1 and knew if he could do it in Uganda, I could as well. He was my first Ugandan Influence. I gravitated to singing more with John Legend and Neo being heavy influences in my O level until Kanye West came onto the scene. Then I knew exactly what I wanted to create. As a producer, he embodied every single thing I had loved; Hiphop, soul, RnB, lyrical prowess, and authentic approach. 

There’s a lot of talk about our sound as Ugandans, and how it’s been hard to zero down to that sound we can call our own. Just like the Nigerians have Afrobeats. What’s your take on this? How would you describe this sound, if it’s there anyway?

I think sometimes we miss the point when we approach creating that way. There’s beauty in diversity, which I think we should lean into more, rather than trying to create “one sound”. If anything, I feel it’s unnatural. I like that South Africans aren’t on that sort of pressure and have seen evolution and not jumped from one popular style to another like we have done before. 

Of course you pick certain elements from the zeitgeist and fuse it with your own while allowing other sounds to exist which they have done perfectly well. What we hear from West Africa is a monopoly by certain players and forget they have different Afro beats we don’t get to listen to in the mainstream.They don’t all sound the same. We also ignore aspects like a massive Diaspora which heavily forwards their culture intentionally which circles back to the continent. I recommend a Documentary by Mr Eazi on Youtube called “From Lagos to London.” for context. 

Plus, I doubt Bob Marley worried about fitting into a sound but just created authentically and ended up influencing a whole genre, style and generation. That’s a blueprint I would rather follow.

Afrosphere is available to download here. 

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